Hi. I need some advice. I am considering the purchase of an English hammer gun. The makers name appears on the lock plates but there is no name or address on the rib or barrels. Also, the serial number is on the barrel but appears no where else. Are these issues to be concerned about? Should I move on? I appreciate your help. Thanks.

Hello RSM and welcome on your first posting
What is the maker's name?
Have you measured the barrel thicknesses?
Will this be a shooting gun or collecting gun?
Any modifications or "improvements" to the gun?
What are the proofmarks on the barrels and action flat?
Cost and pictures would be most helpful
Again
Welcome
Mike

Hi Mike, thanks for your response. The gun is a Holland which the seller said was a Harris Holland. It would be nice if it had the New Bond Street address on it since there were other Harris makers. The barrel wall thickness is 0.024 right barrel and 0.028 left barrel. It would be a shooting gun and it is nitro proofed. It is around $3000 and I do have pics but am unsure how to display them. thanks

Hmmm,$3,000 for a gun with thin walls. There are guns with thicker barrels that will be in that price range but a Henry Holland is an important gun and if you stick to clays and are carefull it will be a joy to you.

Thanks, I appreciate your advice

I wouldn't necessarily characterize a fine English gun with barrels that have .024 and .028 MWT as being thin.

depends on where that minimum is doesn't it

I'm not so worried about the barrel wall thickness as I feel it is fine but the issue with the makers name and address not appearing on the rib and the fact that the serial number is only on the barrels and no where else. Should these things be a concern or do they matter? Thanks

I ran into a similar situation with an old W.C. Scott gun with fluid steel barrels that had no name or address. They were actually good quality Siemens steel replacement barrels, but it turned out they didn't close properly, so whoever fitted them didn't take the time to do the job right. If the owner is stating it's an original gun as you say then I'd be concerned.

yes,these things are of concern,but with guns of over 130 years old rules sometimes don't apply. You may not get a definitive answer on this.

I'm a collector of William Powell & Son guns.I have never seen a pre-1900 Powell gun that had a serial number on the receiver. Their numbering system was 'barrel-based.'

Steve, my Powell, 4661 is numbered on the barrels, the forend and the trigger guard strap. Another gun from that period (W & C Scott, badged Chas H Maleham) is numbered (1633) on the forend, the flats of the action, the top rib and the trigger guard strap. The tubes themselves are not numbered, but since it is sleeved, they may well have originally been numbered.

I would suggest you contact Hollland & Holland directly and ask them to confirm the details of this gun are reflected in their records (if they exist that far back; I'm away from my books at the mo).

Tim

JohnfromUK,
Your Powell likely has the serial number stamped on the underside of the trigger guard tang and in the wood below the tang. I have a Powell made for Maleham that uses the Powell number. I also have a Barrett made by Powell that is not marked with a Powell number even though one is shown in the ledger.

I had a Harris Holland rifle from 1872. The serial #s appeared on the water table the trigger guard and the barrels and of course the Holland name and location were on the barrel rib. Holland and Holland had no info on the gun dating back to 1872.

Thanks. I guess if I want the gun bad enough, then these issues won't matter. Wish me luck. Thank-you everyone for your help

I'm new to this and didn't realize there was a second page to the comments, as a result I missed your response. Excellent idea as I do have a serial number. I will contact Holland and Holland and see where it goes. Thank-you